Community Development Resources
from the Provincial Literacy Resource Centre
Last modified: December, 2008
Here are some resources on literacy needs assessment, planning and community development that can be found in the Literacy BC Resource Centre. The focus in on BC or Canadian resources. Anyone in BC may borrow from Literacy BC’s Resource Centre. We mail books to you at no cost. You can learn more about the Resource Centre and search the library catalogue on the Web at http://www2.literacy.bc.ca/Rescentr.htm.
Contact Literacy BC to borrow these and other resources. Telephone: 604-684-0624 or toll free in BC: 1-800-663-1293. Fax: 604-684-8520 Email: library@literacy.bc.ca.
Action For Neighbourhood Change. 2005-2007.
United Way Canada. http://www.anccommunity.ca/
A Web site describing a unique learning initiative that explored and assessed approaches to locally-driven neighbourhood revitalization. While not focused on literacy, it presents a broad perspective of community development and highlights activities in Surrey, BC.
Before You Start: Developing a Community Needs Assessment for Adult Literacy Programming.
Manitoba Advanced Education and Training, Adult Learning and Literacy. [374.01209 M39 and also available at http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/before/cover.htm ]
Steps to conducting the community needs assessment, sample surveys and a sample community needs assessment report.
The Big Picture Up Close: Literacy and Learning in BC.
Prepared for Literacy BC by Stacey Huget, March 2002. [379.24097 H84 and also available at http://www2.literacy.bc.ca/pub/bigpictr/cover.htm ]
This report, the result of a provincial consultation process, synethsizes what has been accomplished in the literacy field in the 1990s up to 2002. It includes a chapter on community-based partnership and collaboration.
By Invitation Only: A Literacy Model for Communities.
Prepared by Louise Ettling, Janet Isselis. Literacy programs B.C., [Surrey, B.C.: Community Language Access Society in partnership with Kwantlen University College],1995. [379.24 E885 and also available at http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/21/e4/0b.pdf ]
A process guide to assist educators and community workers in developing learning opportunities in community settings.
Civic Participation and Community Action Sourcebook: A Resource for Adult Educators.
Edited by Andy Nash. New England Literacy Resource Centre, 2001. [361.8 C58]
This source book aims to reflect the many dimensions of civic and community involvement. Its purpose is to present a range of tools that can help readers examine their own beliefs about community, citizenship, democracy, etc. ; identify and analyze issues that concern them ; and build skills and strategies to take informed action.
Community Literacy: An Intergenerational Perspective.
Prepared by Janet Isserlis …[et al] National Literacy Secretariat, 1994. [379.24 C666 Guide also Report]
This guide suggests that literacy workers can collaborate in ways that could increase access to literacy learning for community members across at least one generation. It is a program development guide with examples from various countries.
Conducting Needs Assessments for Adult Literacy Programming.
Prepared by Lori McElroy for the BC Ministry of Advanced Education and the Centre for Curriculum and Professional Development and the National Literacy Secretariat, September 1993. [374.01206 M173]
The goals of this project were to develop an organized approach to needs assessments in BC, to facilitiate networking so coordinated plans could be developed, to improve the quality of needs assessments and the produce a “ways of doing” needs assessments resource. The report contains a variety of questionnaires.
From Energy to Action: Learners Involved in Literacy.
Ontario Literacy Coalition, 1991. [374.136 F76 and also available online at http://www.camacam.ca/downloads/en/ONAguide.pdf]
A group of Ontario literacy learners have collaborated to produce a book full of concrete suggestions for learners who want to set up their own learners groups or who want to become active in the management of literacy organizations.
A Guide for Planning and Conducting an Organizational Needs Assessment for Municipal Workplace Literacy Program.
Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators, no date. [331.2592 G85 and also available online at http://www.camacam.ca/downloads/en/ONAguide.pdf]
This workbook is for those responsible for planning and implementing workplace education programs for municipal employees. It describes a process and includes worksheets.
Learner Involvement in Community-Based Literacy Programs.
Donald Duff-McCracken and Barbara Fretz. [374.136 D84 and also available online at http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/13/6a/42.pdf]
This manual is designed as a resource for involving learners in literacy programs.
Learning Cities: Lessons Learned. In support of the Vancouver Learning City Initiative.
Prepared by Ron Faris, April 6, 2006. Also available online at http://members.shaw.ca/rfaris/docs/VLC%20Lessons%20Learned.pdf
This report describes learning city initiatives in Victoria, as well as in the UK, Australia and Finland.
Learning from the Weaving Literacy Project: A Report on the Process and Outcomes of the Weaving Literacy Project – and – The Weaving Literacy Planning Guide: Supporting Integrated Approaches to Literacy and Community Building in Canada. Smythe, Suzanne. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs, 2005. Also available online at http://www.frp.ca/PDFdocuments/weaving_literacy.pdf
The Weaving Literacy project brought together literacy organizations and family resource groups from 22 communities across Canada to develop and implement a literacy plan.
Literacy Happens: A Resource Manual for Community Literacy Awareness Training.
By Ruth Hayden and Maureen Saunders. Edmonton, AB: Centre for Family Literacy, 2002. [659.1937 H39]
This manual provides community workers with a "core materials to understand how literacy is learned, developed and used within community and family contexts.... The manual provides the background information needed to present literacy awareness workshops to a range of audiences." It is directed at those with a literacy background.
Literacy Needs Assessment for Community Groups.
Prepared by Susan Kurushima, Project Literacy Victoria for the BC Ministry of Education, Skills & Training and the National Literacy Secretariat. Victoria, BC: Project Literacy Victoria, 1996. [379.24 K87]
This research project was developed to engage community groups in a collaborative effort to reach out to young adult learners and to develop guidelines for community agencies and existing literacy programs to use in planning initiatives to serve this group. It contains information about needs assessment research, describes a model for working with community groups, describes the community group and decisions they made, and shows some forms and results of the needs assessment.
Literacy Now: a planning guide : 2010 Legacies Now (2006)
Vancouver, B. C. : 2010 LegaciesNow, c2006. [379.2409711 L58 2006 and also available online at http://www.2010legaciesnow.com/Images/Literacy/LiteracyNow_Guide.pdf]
Literacy Now is a community-based planning process aimed at addressing local literacy needs. The guide outlines a community strategy to encourage new literacy initiatives, alliances, programs and planning across BC.
The Partnership Handbook and The Partnership Facilitator’s Guide. 2nd ed.
Written by Flo Frank and Anne Smith for Human Resources Development Canada. Ottawa : Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2000. [307.14 F736 2000 and 307.14 K56 2000 and also available online at http://dsp-psd.communication.gc.ca/Collection/MP43-373-1-2000E.pdf and http://dsp-psd.communication.gc.ca/Collection/MP43-373-3-2000E.pdf ]
The emphasis of these books is on community-based partnerships, but the information and processes are applicable to most partnership efforts. They are designed primarily for those with an interest in partnerships but without an in-depth understanding of the concept, the process or the resources available across Canada. For participants currently involved in a partnership, the objectives are to assist in evaluating partnership activity; to identify the issues and challenges within the partnership and then priorize them; to assist the group in developing strategies for responding to issues and challenges.
Partnership in Literacy : a Guide for Community Organization and Program Development.
Written by Wendy Watson and Barbara Bates. Victoria, B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology, 1991 [379.24 W38 and also available online at http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/21/e4/0b.pdf ]
This guide covers the framework for planning and developing a community literacy organization, the framework for instructional design, innovative projects in literacy partnerships and descriptions of B.C. Literacy programs and projects.
Promising Practices: Innovative Strategies for Engaging our Communities : Lessons from the Civic Engagement Project for Children and Families. California: 2003. Available online at http://www.f5ac.org/civicengagement/tools_resources/promising_practices/promising_practices_bw.pdf
While this is a US resource and not specific to literacy, it may be of interest regarding various practices for civic engagement.
Tools for Community Building: A Planning Workbook for Northern Community-based Literacy. The NWT and Nunavut Literacy Councils, 2002. [374.0124 T66 and also available online at http://www.nwt.literacy.ca/comdevel/nln/combuild/workbook/2.htm]
This toolkit is for members of a community who wand to work together to make their community stronger, talk about learning and literacy, plan a local literacy activity, or write a proposal to support a plan. It has worksheets to help describe ‘what is literacy’, materials and ideas for a planning process and how to write a proposal. There is also a book of examples, such as partnerships, plain language, conflict resolution and funding sources. A very practical, easy-to-use resource guide.
Volunteer Recruitment and Membership Development Book. 3rd ed. Susan J. Ellis. Philadelphia, PA : Energize, Inc., 2002.. 361.37 E44Also available online at http://ripal.literacy.bc.ca/pdf/RiPP_Melanie.pdf
A complete guide to recruiting volunteers, from designing volunteer roles to assessing your organization’s image to how to look for new volunteers.
Walking Alongside : Adult-Youth Partnerships in Making Change. Melanie Sondergaard. Vancouver, BC: RiPAL BC, 2006. 374.0120771 S66 Also available online at http://ripal.literacy.bc.ca/pdf/RiPP_Melanie.pdf
This report explores how youth and adults can work together to make changes in a community.
The Weaving Literacy Planning Guide : Supporting Integrated Approaches to Literacy and Community Building in Canada and Learning from the Weaving Literacy project (2005)
Written by Suzanne Smythe. Ottawa, Ont. : Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs, 2005. [379.24 S697 2005; the learning report is also available online at http://frp.ca/g_Weavingliteracy.asp]
A guide for people who have come together to plan for literacy in their organization or community. The binder has an introduction to a community-building approach, and a step-by-step guide to the planning process. Appendices include a guide to facilitation, timing and materials for facilitator-led sessions, case studies of literacy and community building, and other resources.
Bridges to Learning.
Jennifer Cliff-Marks, 2003-2004. [379.2471162 M3 and also available at http://www2.literacy.bc.ca/pub/bigpictr/cover.htm ]
Objectives of the project were: To engage the community of Nakusp in a processs which involves capturing already existing information and finding new information related to learning and other resources; To develop a series of community maps identifying the skills, learning assets and other resources in the community of Nakusp; To identify preferred future or vision for learning for the community of Nakusp; and To initiate a community process of strategic planning and plan for a Community Learning Network.
Building Community Literacy from the Ground Up.
By Leona Gadsby and Jennifer Cliff-Marks. Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy, 2003. [379.247116 G337 2003 E885 and also available at http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/buildcom/cover.htm
This manual traces the process of developing family literacy programs and the Alliance. As well as telling their stories, the document acts as a manual for others striving to build cooperative movements by providing personal narratives, activities, guidelines, and resources
Carnegie Literacy Needs Assessment.
Prepared by Sarah Evans. Ministry of Advanced Education, National Literacy Secretariat, Capilano College. June 1998. [379.24 E93 and also available online at http://www.nald.ca/library/research/clna/cover.htm]
Carnegie Community Centre is a busy, active place that acts as the “Living Room” of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In this needs assessment the author looks at ways literacy learning is already taking place as well as unmet needs and makes recommendations for change.
Community Adult Literacy Analysis: A Regional Analysis of the Impact of Adult Low Literacy on the Communities of South-Central British Columbia.
Prepared by Cheryl Farmer. Okanagan University College, no date. [379.24 F37]
Three hundred and ninety-seven individuals in seventeen communities participated in individual or focus group interviews. Learners, low literacy adults, literacy service providers, community agencies and employers were interviewed. The trends, themes and recommendations in this report are drawn from their responses.
Finding the Gaps: Literacy needs in the Shuswap.
Prepared by Leslie Kiehlbauch. A project of the Community Alternative Measures Program, North Okanagan Health Region, Okanagan Regional Library, Okanagan University College. 2002. [374.01209 K54]
This project involved carrying out a survey of literacy service providers and potential learners in the Shuswap area of British Columbia. Recommendations were then made regarding literacy needs and gaps in service delivery.
Learning Communities.
Available online athttp://members.shaw.ca/rfaris/LC.htm
Links to many reports on community development, including the Caledon Institute Community Stories: Bamfield; Community Development in Upper Skeena; Learning Communities on the Monashee; Lilloet is Learning; and Whistler-Mount Currie Learning Communities Project.
Literacy in Dawson Creek: Learning from the Past and Looking to the Future.
Prepared by Phipps Employment Consulting and Chiron Publications on behalf of Human Resources Development Canada, February 17, 2000. [379.240971187 P5]
Identifies current literacy services in Dawson Creek and offers recommendations for best meeting the needs of local learners.
Literacy Now Community Plans. Vancouver, B. C. : 2010 LegaciesNow, 2007. [Available for loan in the library or online at http://www.2010legaciesnow.com/353/ ]
The completed Community Literacy Plans for many BC communities.
The British Columbia Atlas of Community Development, 1st edition.
Victoria, BC: Human Early Learning Partnership and Western Geographical Press, 2005. [305.231 K37 2005 and also available at http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/fy0607/2006373529.html
A community planning tool that will provide important direction and resources for all levels of government, school boards, regional health authorities, social service agencies, neighbourhoos organizations, philanthropic groups and civic-minded individuals as they repond to the challenges involved in achieving the objectives of the National Children's Agenda. The Atlas presents a visual summary of early childhood trends across BC.
Canada’s Literacy Atlas
Available online at http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/peopleandsociety/literacy
The Atlas of Canada Web site provides a wealth of information about Canada’s people and society, health, history, economy, etc. Literacy is featured in map format with data from the 2003 Adult Literacy Skills Survey.
Community Information Database
Available online at http://www.cid-bdc.ca/homepage.htm
With this Web resource, find demographic/socioeconomic data – including education indicators – for specific or multiple geographic regions in Canada on an interactive map. The database was developed by the Rural Secretariat, provinces, territories, other federal departments, and community groups.
Composite Learning Index (CLI)
Available online at http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/CLI2007/index.htm
The CLI is another mapping tool. It provides an annual measure of Canada’s performance in areas related to lifelong learning. It is based on statistical indicators that reflect the different ways Canadians learn in school, at home, at work and in the community.
Contact Literacy BC to borrow these and other resources:
Telephone: 604-684-0624 or toll free in BC: 1-888-732-3234 | Fax: 604-684-8520
Email: library@literacy.bc.ca
